More block party news!

We have a familiar lineup for this year’s two-night block party. Everyone loved the bands last year, so why change it?

Friday, August 12:Perennial favorite party band Sellout! will headline Friday’s show, around 9:30, after local favorites Heavy Petty open up around 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 13:
Disco Dick and the Mirrorballs are back for the Saturday night set. Kim and the Quake will open the show around 5 p.m., followed by Thunderkat around 7 p.m.

And don’t forget about the VIP kickoff party on Friday night, with live music from the Crumpletons inside Sandbar Subs from 5-7 p.m. Tickets for the VIP party are now available at Sandbar and Sandbar Subs. More info is available here.

We’re holding a VIP kickoff party before this year’s block party extravaganza begins!

The VIP party takes place on Friday, August 12, from 5-7 p.m. inside Sandbar Subs, across the street from the Sandbar. The Crumpletons will provide live music at the party, and complimentary refreshments will be available from 5-7 p.m. Your VIP party ticket also includes wristbands for admission to the beer garden for both the Friday and Saturday night block parties—the wristbands alone are a $10 value.

Tickets are now available at the Sandbar for $15 each. The price goes up to $20 each on August 1, and a limited number of tickets is available.

One of our favorite downtown Lawrence events (okay, EVERY downtown Lawrence event is one of our favorites!) is back for the fifth year: the downtown shot put!

When we first started hearing about the possibility of a downtown shot put five years ago, we thought it sounded crazy. Professional throwers tossing heavy shot puts around in the middle of our downtown? Near buildings with glass windows? And tons of people around? We admit it, we were skeptical.
But then it happened, and it was SO COOL. Of course it was set up so that no one would get hurt and nothing would get broken. The community came out in full force to watch the spectacle, the athletes had a blast and everyone loved it.

Five years later, we still love it! And we’re thrilled that it’s on our block.

Join us on Friday, April 22, for this free event. The competition starts at 6 p.m. Six of the top-10 ranked throwers in the world will be participating this year.

But wait, there’s more!

Along with the shot put competition, there’s all kinds of family fun: prizes and giveaways, inflatables for the kids, and face painting. Food and drinks will be available for sale—including a hot dog topping bar from our friends across the street at Sandbar Subs—and a live music by the Brody Buster Band will follow the competition. (They’re playing on our St. Patrick’s Day float converted into a stage!)

Get downtown this Friday!

The downtown shot put event is organized by eXplore Lawrence in conjunction with the Kansas Relays.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut, firefighter, ballerina or teacher? Or maybe a doctor or a farmer or a super hero?

We’re going to help you live out those childhood fantasies with a party organized by our friend Caroline.

On May 4, bring yourself down to the bar from 6:30-9 p.m. dressed up as what you wanted to be when you grew up. And you may have noticed that this shindig is on May 4….which means we also expect a few Luke Skywalkers and Han Solos to show up. (May the fourth be with you!)

Your ticket gets you access to door prizes, snacks, party games—and group karaoke. Because it’s the Sandbar, and that’s what we do. And, there’s prizes for the best costumes, as voted on by Facebook fans.

We hope you can join us, because after all: who doesn’t love costumes and supporting a good cause at the same time?!

Bullet points:Wednesday, May 46:30-9 p.m. The Sandbar$10 ticket cost, pay at the door or in online in advance

Aficionados of all things western will celebrate the return of Old West Cowboy Days after a six-year hiatus during a day-long festival Sept. 5 in Ottawa, Kansas.

“The cowboy culture is not dead,” organizer Peach Madl said. “From campfires to cattle drives to concerts, we wanted to bring people together to celebrate the western way of life.”

A kick-off to the event is the Bourbon Train ride on the Kansas Belle Dinner Train at 7 p.m. Sept. 4. Passengers will ride from Baldwin City to Norwood while enjoying five unique bourbon tastings and appetizers. They’ll also experience an old-time wagon ride and a roaring campfire with a Western theme. For more information and to make reservations, contact the Kansas Belle Dinner Train at (785) 594-8505.

Want to see dozens of Longhorn cattle being driven down Ottawa’s Main Street? Don’t miss the cattle drive at 10 a.m. Sept. 5. The drive is sponsored by the Plaza Cinema and Burkdoll Brothers of Garnett, Kansas.

Participants can enjoy many other activities throughout the day in and outside of Ottawa Municipal Auditorium, 301 S. Hickory St., including vendors, Wild Women of the West, local horse breeds, a horse video and a barbecue dinner. Miniature horses will be on display from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. outside of the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium, as well an opportunity to take photos with CoCo Chanel, a live “unicorn.”

Activities around the city of Ottawa include an exhibit at the Old Depot Museum, 135 W. Tecumseh St.; western movies and a Buffalo Bill exhibit at the Plaza Cinema, 209 S. Main St.; a shooting presentation by the Lebo 4-H club at The Gun Guys, 412 S. Main St.; and carriage rides throughout downtown Ottawa.

The night will conclude with performances by the Travis Marvin Band and Rusty Rierson, plus recognition of the Kansas Cowboy of the Year, all at Ottawa Municipal Auditorium.